d that he was not
unconscious of her regard. She colored as she met the glance of mingled
mirth and admiration that he gave her, and hastily began to pull off the
weedy decorations which she had forgotten. But she paused presently, for
she heard a surprised voice exclaim--

"Why, Warwick! is that you or your ghost?"

Looking up Sylvia saw Adam lift the hat he had pulled over his brows,
and take a slender brown hand extended over the boat-side with something
like reluctance, as he answered the question in Spanish. A short
conversation ensued, in which the dark stranger seemed to ask
innumerable questions, Warwick to give curt replies, and the names
Gabriel and Ottila to occur with familiar frequency. Sylvia knew nothing
of the language, but received an impression that Warwick was not
overjoyed at the meeting; that the youth was both pleased and perplexed
by finding him there; and that neither parted with much regret as the
distance slowly widened between the boats, and with a farewell salute
parted company, each taking a different branch of the river, which
divided just there.

For the first time Warwick allowed Mark to take his place at the oar,
and sat looking into the clear depths below as if some scene lay there
which other eyes could not discover.

"Who was the olive-colored party with the fine eyes and foreign accent?"
asked Mark, lazily rowing.

"Gabriel Andre."

"Is he an Italian?"

"No; a Cuban."

"I forgot you had tried that mixture of Spain and Alabama. How was it?"

"As such climates always are to me,--intoxicating to-day, enervating
to-morrow."

"How long were you there?"

"Three months."

"I feel tropically inclined, so tell us about it."

"There is nothing to tell."

"I'll prove that by a catechism. Where did you stay?"

"In Havana."

"Of course, but with whom?"

"Gabriel Andre."

"The father of the saffron youth?"

"Yes."

"Of whom did the family consist?"

"Four persons."

"Mark, leave Mr. Warwick alone."

"As long as he answers I shall question. Name the four persons, Adam."

"Gabriel, sen., Dolores his wife, Gabriel, jun., Catalina, his sister."

"Ah! now we progress. Was senorita Catalina as comely as her brother?"

"More so."

"You adored her, of course?"

"I loved her."

"Great heavens! what discoveries we make. He likes it, I know by the
satirical glimmer in his eye; therefore I continue. She adored you, of
course?"

"She loved me."

"You will return an